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Federal authorities have determined that the jalapeño peppers linked to a salmonella outbreak in several U.S. states come from a producer in Sinaloa, Mexico.
Reportedly, at least 345 people have fallen ill in 27 states due to a salmonella strain linked to the jalapeños. Most cases have been recorded in Minnesota and Colorado. No deaths have been reported, but 36 people have required hospitalization, officials indicated.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) noted on Wednesday that Coast Citrus Distributors is the company that distributed the peppers in the United States. The company recalled the product from the market and is in the process of notifying its customers, which include several prominent Mexican restaurant chains, officials said.
Coast Citrus Distributors did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) indicated that 177 of the 191 people interviewed as part of the outbreak investigation, or 93%, reported that they ate at a Mexican restaurant between June 14 and July 14, including Chipotle Mexican Grill and Qdoba.
Chipotle Mexican Grill reported on Tuesday that it had already removed the jalapeños from some of its restaurants. Qdoba indicated on Wednesday that it had proactively removed the jalapeños from all of its restaurants.
“Given their actions to remove the product from their establishments, none of these locations are considered a current and ongoing risk to consumers,” CDC officials noted in a statement.
The salad chain Sweetgreen reported on Thursday that it also removed the jalapeños from its menu, where they are listed as an ingredient in two of its 15 dressings. It was part of the bad news for Sweetgreen, whose sales plummeted in July due to customer concerns over a cyclospora outbreak related to iceberg lettuce, even though that type of lettuce is not served at their restaurants.
The FDA is investigating whether some of the jalapeños reached grocery stores. The agency could announce additional market recalls on its website, health authorities indicated.
In Mexico, health authorities announced an investigation and on Thursday visited a packing plant in the northern state of Nuevo León.
The Salmonella bacteria causes about 1.35 million infections per year in the United States, and outbreaks have been linked to sources such as cucumbers, eggs, unpasteurized milk, fresh basil, and pets like geckos and lizards.
Hours or days after exposure to the bacteria, infected people can suffer from diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps. The illness usually lasts four to seven days, and most patients do not require treatment.
Young children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems are at a higher risk of severe illness, according to the CDC.
Shares of Newport Beach, California-based Chipotle plunged nearly 10% on Tuesday and have not recovered. Sweetgreen shares plummeted 14% in after-hours trading on Thursday.
[Publicidad]